The Sovereign Order of Malta is participating in the 71st United Nations General Assembly, which opened on 19 September, in New York. The topic of the general debate of the annual Session is “The Sustainable Development Goals: A universal push to transform our world”.

With 60 million people on the move, we are witnessing the highest number of displaced persons in decades. Spawned by armed conflicts in the Middle East, North and Central Africa and South Asia, hundreds of thousands of people had to flee their homes.

The current violent conflicts have reached an unprecedented level, increasing the number of victims and strongly challenging the international humanitarian community in its mission to save lives and uphold human dignity. Humanitarian relief for the victims of armed conflicts and the protection of the most vulnerable are among the Order of Malta’s traditional tasks and induced the Order to engage in the organization of the Symposium.

On Wednesday, December 2nd, His Excellency Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Apostolic Nuncio to the United Nations, hosted an Advent Reception at his Residence with the Holy Family Hospital Foundation. The Advent Reception honored the work of the Order of Malta’s Holy Family Hospital, which is the only neonatal care facility in Palestine.

The Order of Malta’s Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations hosted a splendid diplomatic reception in honor of the Order’s 900th anniversary of sovereignty, an important milestone for the Order. The guests, the setting, the remarks: all added to the occasion commemorating the Order’s illustrious history and current good works around the globe. In short, it was a triumph. Ambassador Robert L. Shafer, Permanent Observer, and Mrs. Ellen Shafer hosted the event with the help of Ambassador Oscar de Rojas, Deputy Permanent Observer and Mrs. Patricia de Rojas.

On Thursday, December 16th, 2010, H.E. Ambassador Robert L. Shafer and his wife Ellen hosted a diplomatic reception at the Permanent Observer Mission celebrating over fifteen years of collaboration between the Permanent Observer Mission of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta the United Nations community in New York. It was a warm and celebratory gathering of friends and colleagues from the United Nations Secretariat and Permanent Missions.

New York, November 11, 2008 -- On 11 November 2008 diplomatic relations between the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and the Commonwealth of The Bahamas were established through the signing of a Joint Communiqué at the premises of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Order of Malta to the United Nations in New York.